About this stotra
The poem is inspired by the episode of Sage Mārkaṇḍeya's vision of the lord as an infant lying in the fold of a banyan-leaf, in the midst of the primordial ocean. The venerable sage gets sucked into the mouth of this infant and is surprized to find the entire world arrayed safely inside him, while the deluge seemed to have destroyed everything, on the outside.
Bala Mukundashtakam lyrics and meaning
॥ १ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 1
करारविन्देन पदारविन्दं मुखारविन्दे विनिवेशयन्तम् ।
वटस्य पत्रस्य पुटे शयानं बालं मुकुन्दं मनसा स्मरामि ॥ १॥
karāravindena padāravindaṃ mukhāravinde viniveśayantam .
vaṭasya patrasya puṭe śayānaṃ bālaṃ mukundaṃ manasā smarāmi .. 1..
(My mind remembers that beautiful Bala Mukundam) who with his lotus like hands holds his lotus like feet, ...
and puts the toe in his lotus like mouth,
he rests on the fold of the banyan leaf (vata),
my mind remembers that beautiful Bala Mukundam.
Word by word
- करारविन्देन (karāravindena)
- with lotus-like hands (kara:hand | aravindena:with lotus-like)
- पदारविन्दं (padāravindaṃ)
- lotus-like feet (pada:feet | aravindaṃ:lotus-like)
- मुखारविन्दे (mukhāravinde)
- in the lotus-like mouth (mukha:mouth | aravinde:in the lotus-like)
- विनिवेशयन्तम् (viniveśayantam)
- placing
- वटस्य (vaṭasya)
- of the banyan
- पत्रस्य (patrasya)
- of the leaf
- पुटे (puṭe)
- in the fold
- शयानं (śayānaṃ)
- resting
- बालं (bālaṃ)
- child
- मुकुन्दं (mukundaṃ)
- Mukunda
- मनसा (manasā)
- with mind
- स्मरामि (smarāmi)
- I remember
॥ २ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 2
संहृत्य लोकान्वटपत्रमध्ये शयानमाद्यन्तविहीनरूपम् ।
सर्वेश्वरं सर्वहितावतारं बालं मुकुन्दं मनसा स्मरामि ॥ २॥
saṃhṛtya lokānvaṭapatramadhye śayānamādyantavihīnarūpam .
sarveśvaraṃ sarvahitāvatāraṃ bālaṃ mukundaṃ manasā smarāmi .. 2..
(My mind remembers that beautiful Bala Mukundam) who draws the entire world in that banyan leaf (vata), ...
on which he rests with his divine form which is beginningless and endless,
he is the lord of all, his incarnation is for the welfare of all,
my mind remembers that beautiful Bala Mukundam.
Word by word
- संहृत्य (saṃhṛtya)
- having withdrawn
- लोकान् (lokān)
- worlds
- वटपत्रमध्ये (vaṭapatramadhye)
- in the midst of a banyan leaf (vaṭa:banyan | patra:leaf | madhye:in the midst)
- शयानम् (śayānam)
- lying
- आद्यन्तविहीनरूपम् (ādyantavihīnarūpam)
- form without beginning or end (ādi:beginning | anta:end | vihīna:without | rūpam:form)
- सर्वेश्वरम् (sarveśvaram)
- lord of all (sarva:all | īśvara:lord)
- सर्वहितावतारम् (sarvahitāvatāram)
- incarnation for the welfare of all (sarva:all | hita:welfare | avatāra:incarnation)
- बालम् (bālam)
- child
- मुकुन्दम् (mukundam)
- Mukunda
- मनसा (manasā)
- with mind
- स्मरामि (smarāmi)
- I remember
॥ ३ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 3
इन्दीवरश्यामलकोमलाङ्गं इन्द्रादिदेवार्चितपादपद्मम् ।
सन्तानकल्पद्रुममाश्रितानां बालं मुकुन्दं मनसा स्मरामि ॥ ३॥
indīvaraśyāmalakomalāṅgaṃ indrādidevārcitapādapadmam .
santānakalpadrumamāśritānāṃ bālaṃ mukundaṃ manasā smarāmi .. 3..
(My mind remembers that beautiful Bala Mukundam) who is like a dark-blue lotus with tender and soft body,
whose lotus feet are worshipped by Indra and other devas,
by taking refuge in that never ending wish fulfilling tree, ...
my mind remembers that beautiful Bala Mukundam.
Word by word
- इन्दीवरश्यामलकोमलाङ्गं (indīvaraśyāmalakomalāṅgam)
- dark-blue lotus soft-bodied (indīvara:dark-blue lotus | śyāmala:dark | komala:soft | aṅgam:body)
- इन्द्रादिदेवार्चितपादपद्मम् (indrādidevārcitapādapadmam)
- worshipped lotus feet by Indra (indra:Indra | ādi:and others | deva:gods | arcita:worshipped | pāda:feet | padmam:lotus)
- सन्तानकल्पद्रुमम् (santānakalpadrumam)
- wish-fulfilling tree (santāna:progeny | kalpa:wish-fulfilling | drumam:tree)
- आश्रितानां (āśritānām)
- of those who take refuge
- बालं (bālam)
- child
- मुकुन्दं (mukundam)
- Mukunda
- मनसा (manasā)
- with mind
- स्मरामि (smarāmi)
- I remember
॥ ४ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 4
लम्बालकं लम्बितहारयष्टिं शृङ्गारलीलाङ्कितदन्तपङ्क्तिम् ।
बिंबाधरं चारुविशालनेत्रं बालं मुकुन्दं मनसा स्मरामि ॥ ४॥
lambālakaṃ lambitahārayaṣṭiṃ śṛṅgāralīlāṅkitadantapaṅktim .
bimbādharaṃ cāruviśālanetraṃ bālaṃ mukundaṃ manasā smarāmi .. 4..
(My mind remembers that beautiful Bala Mukundam) who has long curly hair and wears a long garland,
on whose rows of teeth are marked the enchainting smile of love play,
whose lips are like bimba fruits and eyes are wide and lovely,
my mind remembers that beautiful Bala Mukundam.
Word by word
- लम्बालकम् (lambālakam)
- with long hair (lamba:long | ālakam:hair)
- लम्बितहारयष्टिम् (lambitahārayaṣṭim)
- wearing a long garland (lambita:hanging | hāra:garland | yaṣṭim:staff)
- शृङ्गारलीलाङ्कितदन्तपङ्क्तिम् (śṛṅgāralīlāṅkitadantapaṅktim)
- marked with love-play smile (śṛṅgāra:love-play | līlā:play | aṅkita:marked | danta:teeth | paṅktim:row)
- बिंबाधरम् (bimbādharam)
- with bimba-like lips (bimba:bimba fruit | adharam:lips)
- चारुविशालनेत्रम् (cāruviśālanetram)
- with lovely wide eyes (cāru:lovely | viśāla:wide | netram:eyes)
- बालम् (bālam)
- child
- मुकुन्दम् (mukundam)
- Mukunda
- मनसा (manasā)
- with mind
- स्मरामि (smarāmi)
- I remember
॥ ५ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 5
शिक्ये निधायाद्यपयोदधीनि बहिर्गतायां व्रजनायिकायाम् ।
भुक्त्वा यथेष्टं कपटेन सुप्तं बालं मुकुन्दं मनसा स्मरामि ॥ ५॥
śikye nidhāyādyapayodadhīni bahirgatāyāṃ vrajanāyikāyām .
bhuktvā yatheṣṭaṃ kapaṭena suptaṃ bālaṃ mukundaṃ manasā smarāmi .. 5..
(My mind remembers that beautiful Bala Mukundam) who steals the milk and curd from the pots fixed on the swing,...
when the cowherd girls of vraja goes out,
and having eaten them according to his wish, he pretends to be sleeping,
my mind remembers that beautiful Bala Mukundam.
Word by word
- शिक्ये (śikye)
- on the swing
- निधाय (nidhāya)
- having placed
- अद्य (adya)
- today
- पयोदधीनि (payodadhīni)
- milk and curd (payaḥ:milk | dadhīni:curd)
- बहिः (bahiḥ)
- outside
- गतायाम् (gatāyām)
- having gone
- व्रजनायिकायाम् (vrajanāyikāyām)
- cowherd girls of Vraja (vraja:Vraja | nāyikāyām:cowherd girls)
- भुक्त्वा (bhuktvā)
- having eaten
- यथेष्टम् (yatheṣṭam)
- according to wish
- कपटेन (kapaṭena)
- with deceit
- सुप्तम् (suptam)
- pretending to sleep
- बालम् (bālam)
- child
- मुकुन्दम् (mukundam)
- Mukunda
- मनसा (manasā)
- with mind
- स्मरामि (smarāmi)
- I remember
॥ ६ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 6
कलिन्दजान्तस्थितकालियस्य फणाग्ररङ्गे नटनप्रियन्तम् ।
तत्पुच्छहस्तं शरदिन्दुवक्त्रं बालं मुकुन्दं मनसा स्मरामि ॥ ६॥
kalindajāntasthitakāliyasya phaṇāgraraṅge naṭanapriyantam .
tatpucchahastaṃ śaradinduvaktraṃ bālaṃ mukundaṃ manasā smarāmi .. 6..
(My mind remembers that beautiful Bala Mukundam) who on the Kaliya snake situated inside river Yamuna, the river which originated from mount Kalinda,...
danced joyfully over the top of its hood ...
holding its tail with his hand; his face shining like the autumn moon,
my mind remembers that beautiful Bala Mukundam.
Word by word
- कलिन्दजान्तस्थितकालियस्य (kalindajāntasthitakāliyasya)
- of Kaliya situated in Yamuna (kalinda:Kalinda (mountain) | jā:born from | anta:inside | sthita:situated | kāliya:Kaliya | asya:of)
- फणाग्ररङ्गे (phaṇāgraraṅge)
- on the hood's top (phaṇa:hood | agra:top | raṅge:on)
- नटनप्रियन्तम् (naṭanapriyantam)
- who loves dancing (naṭana:dancing | priya:loves | antam:who)
- तत्पुच्छहस्तं (tatpucchahastaṃ)
- holding its tail in hand (tat:its | puccha:tail | hastaṃ:hand)
- शरदिन्दुवक्त्रं (śaradinduvaktraṃ)
- face like autumn moon (śarad:autumn | indu:moon | vaktraṃ:face)
- बालं (bālaṃ)
- child
- मुकुन्दं (mukundaṃ)
- Mukunda
- मनसा (manasā)
- with mind
- स्मरामि (smarāmi)
- I remember
॥ ७ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 7
उलूखले बद्धमुदारशौर्यं उत्तुङ्गयुग्मार्जुन भङ्गलीलम् ।
उत्फुल्लपद्मायत चारुनेत्रं बालं मुकुन्दं मनसा स्मरामि ॥ ७॥
ulūkhale baddhamudāraśauryaṃ uttuṅgayugmārjuna bhaṅgalīlam .
utphullapadmāyata cārunetraṃ bālaṃ mukundaṃ manasā smarāmi .. 7..
(My mind remembers that beautiful Bala Mukundam) who was tied to the mortar (by his mother), but his face radiating unperplexed heroism,...
he played the divine play of uprooting the pair of lofty Arjuna trees (Arjuna) with his body,
he looks out with wide open eyes which stretches like the beautiful lotus petals,
my mind remembers that beautiful Bala Mukundam.
Word by word
- उलूखले (ulūkhale)
- to the mortar
- बद्धम् (baddham)
- tied
- उदारशौर्यम् (udāraśauryam)
- radiating unperplexed heroism (udāra:noble | śauryam:heroism)
- उत्तुङ्गयुग्मार्जुन (uttuṅgayugmārjuna)
- pair of lofty Arjuna trees (uttuṅga:lofty | yugma:pair | arjuna:Arjuna trees)
- भङ्गलीलम् (bhaṅgalīlam)
- play of uprooting (bhaṅga:uprooting | līlam:play)
- उत्फुल्लपद्मायत (utphullapadmāyata)
- wide like lotus petals (utphulla:blooming | padma:lotus | āyata:wide)
- चारुनेत्रम् (cārunetram)
- beautiful eyes (cāru:beautiful | netram:eyes)
- बालम् (bālam)
- child
- मुकुन्दम् (mukundam)
- Mukunda
- मनसा (manasā)
- with my mind
- स्मरामि (smarāmi)
- I remember
॥ ८ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 8
आलोक्य मातुर्मुखमादरेण स्तन्यं पिबन्तं सरसीरुहाक्षम् ।
सच्चिन्मयं देवमनन्तरूपं बालं मुकुन्दं मनसा स्मरामि ॥ ८॥
ālokya māturmukhamādareṇa stanyaṃ pibantaṃ sarasīruhākṣam .
saccinmayaṃ devamanantarūpaṃ bālaṃ mukundaṃ manasā smarāmi .. 8..
(My mind remembers that beautiful Bala Mukundam) who looks at the face of his mother while ...
drinking milk from her breast, his eyes like a lotus situated over a lake,
his divine form reflects the infinite pure consciousness,
my mind remembers that beautiful Bala Mukundam.
Word by word
- आलोक्य (ālokya)
- having seen
- मातुः (mātuḥ)
- of the mother
- मुखम् (mukham)
- face
- आदरेण (ādareṇa)
- with respect
- स्तन्यम् (stanyam)
- milk
- पिबन्तम् (pibantam)
- drinking
- सरसीरुहाक्षम् (sarasīruhākṣam)
- lotus-eyed (sarasīruha:lotus | akṣam:eye)
- सच्चिन्मयम् (saccinmayam)
- of pure consciousness (sat:existence | cit:consciousness | maya:consisting of)
- देवम् (devam)
- god
- अनन्तरूपम् (anantarūpam)
- of infinite form (ananta:infinite | rūpam:form)
- बालम् (bālam)
- child
- मुकुन्दम् (mukundam)
- Mukunda
- मनसा (manasā)
- with mind
- स्मरामि (smarāmi)
- I remember
॥ ९ ॥♪ CHANTING NOW
Verse 9
इति बालमुकुन्दाष्टकम् सम्पूर्णम् ॥
iti bālamukundāṣṭakam sampūrṇam ..
iti baala mukunda ashtakam sampuurnam ..
Word by word
- इति (iti)
- thus
- बालमुकुन्दाष्टकम् (bālamukundāṣṭakam)
- eight verses on Bālamukunda (बाल:child | मुकुन्द:Krishna | अष्टकम्:eight verses)
- सम्पूर्णम् (sampūrṇam)
- complete
ॐ
